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A person
receives a vaccine against the swine flu. The Finnish government
and major
insurance companies announced Wednesday they will pay for
lifetime medical care
for children diagnosed with narcolepsy after receiving the
swine flu vaccine. (AFP
Photo/Matej Divizna)
|
The Finnish
government and major insurance companies announced Wednesday they will pay for
lifetime medical care for children diagnosed with narcolepsy after receiving
the swine flu vaccine.
"The
compensation will provide much-needed financial assistance for the families,
although it cannot take away the emotional distress caused by this
condition," Social Services and Health Minister Paula Risikko said in a
statement.
Finnish and
international researchers recently found a conclusive link between the
Pandemrix swine flu vaccine and new cases of narcolepsy, a chronic nervous
system disorder which causes people to often uncontrollably fall asleep.
The Finnish
Pharmaceutical Insurance Pool (LVP), which represents insurance companies, said
Wednesday it would honour all insurance claims in this category.
LVP said it
would review each claim individually to calculate the scope of the payout.
The Finnish
government meanwhile agreed to cover any medical costs exceeding the insurance
claims.
In Finland,
79 children between the ages of four and 19 developed narcolepsy after
receiving the Pandemrix vaccine in 2009 and 2010.
Of these
cases, an unusually high number, 76, also suffered from bouts of cataplexy,
suffering hallucinations or paralysing physical collapses, according to Finnish
research.
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